Inking pad



Nov. 10, 1931. c, H. BRIGHT, JR

INKING PAD Filed Aug. 13. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l www NOV. l0, 1931. H, B'RlGH-r, JR 1,831,651

INKING PAD Filed Aug. 15. 1929 2 shams-sheen- 2 uml l y gmc/nto@ Elazrde 11.5%!!151 Patented Nov. 1o, 1931 'UNITED kSTATES CLADEVHEBBERT Balsam, JR., oF MEMPHrs, rENNEssEE i INKNG PAD Applicationmea August 13, i929. fse'ril No. 385367.

The invention forming ther subject matter of this application is an inking pad of novel construction providedvvith means to control the moisture contentfofthe pad by bringing the wick and pad into contact with each other as desired and to prevent oversaturation of the' said pad, and for holding the pad out of contact with' the contents of a reservoir after proper saturation of the pad While the pad is actually in use, so there-inking process can take place Without interrupting the use of the pad While the pad is'l being continuously or intermittently used. f'

The main object of the invention is to provide a device of' this kind which shall' be capable of prolonged use Without replenishing the supply of ink for a great length of time. v

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which canbe very cheaply manufactured and assembled, and, therefore, sold at very low cost.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the detailed'description thereof proceeds.

In the drawings:

Fig.` 1 is a perspective of the inking pad shown with the parts thereof inposition for use, and With the inked element in position to absorb ink from a reservoir arranged'below the said element; p A 1 Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical cross-section taken on the line 2,-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, butwith the parts of the device in a different position;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken v on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; v

' Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section similar toFig. 3,\but illustrating'the parts in closed position and having a cover extended over the inking pad to protect thelatter;

Fig. 6 is a rear end elevation of the invention with the several lparts thereofshovvn in closed position; Y

Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the invention with the several covers or lids thereof shown in open position; f

Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective of the inking pad forming an essential part of this invention; and

Fig."9 is a perspective of an inking pad illustrating the means for feeding'ink from a,` reservoir to the parts of a Wick Which extend throughone face of the pad.

The invention comprisesv a rectangular Abox 55 1 vadapted `to receive and retain a supply of stamping ink. Al Wick holding member lits slidably'and snugly Within the box 1 and has flanges 2, 3, 4 and 5 extending perpendicu-V larly from the edges of its face 6 (see Fig. 9). 60` i The lower edgesof these flanges are coplanar and are adapted to rest upon the bottom 7 of the box 1 in order to support the face 6 lrat a. predetermined distance 'below the' upper edge8ofthebox1. i '65 The center-of the kface 6is provided with f a slot 9, 'in which a casing 10 fits with tight friction fit and with its upperedge substantiallyilush with the top ofthe face 6 (see Fig. 4). The casing 1-0 has'brackets 11 and 70 l2-s`ecured tothe opposite sidesthereof and v these brackets arev integral with flanges 13 and 14,A suitably secured toftheelovver side of the face plate56. l' f Y* The bottom edge ofthe casing' 10 is raised 75 slightly above the bottom edge ofthe flanges 2, 3, 4, and 5 inorder to permitink to circulate freely in the chamber formed by the box 1. At the lower part Aof the casing 10, there is Y inserted a rectangular block 15 of felt, Which 80 is .adapted to suck ink from the interior of the box 1 by capillary attraction and Vfeed'it to a Wick 16 formed of a rectangular piece of fabric of the same Width as the Width of the casing 10. 1 S5 The Wick 16 is secured in the casing 10 and in contact with the lblock 15 by means of an insert 17 of fiber or any other suitable'materialvvhich forms a plug to hold the central loop of the Wick 16 by friction againstv the 90 inside of the side Walls of casing 10. The Wick 16 is long enough, after being secured in contact against the felt block k15 by means of the insert 17, to provide oppositely extending up flaps 18 and 19 which are adapted to lie flat "f on the faceplate 6 in order to make contact with a covering 20 ofv ink absorbent fabric secured to' opposite faces of the pad 21.

In order to provide for expansion of the air due vto changes ofy temperature, and to prevent the air pressure from forcing an oversupply of ink up through the wick, I have provided the face plate 6 with apertures 22 and 23 extending through the flanges 13 and 14 and registering with corresponding apertures 24 and 25 formed in the'flaps 18 and 19 lof the wick.

In order to yprovide a filling opening for the box 1. the end 26 thereof is provided with.

an aperture 27 screwthreaded to receive the shank 28 of a thumb screw 29; The flange-'4 is provided with an aperture 30, adaptedto register with the aperture 27 for the purpose of locking the wick holdingniemberin position in the boX 1.

As :previously described7 the face plate 6 is locatedfbelow the plane `offthe upper edge 8 ofthe vbox 1,- and the space formedbythe'face plate 6 and the projecting side andy end walls of the'boxV 1'is designed to receive, with snug fit,'the padz21 when located iniposition'on'- the ilaps-slSf'and 19 tohave its coveringQO provided with the necessary amount of inlrfrom the flaps=18 and 19.'V The pad 21 comprises a rectangular plate, which may be hollow as shown in `Fig.'4,h`aving a rectangular groove 31 atroneend'thereof.` A clamping plate fits slidably .in this groove 31 andi this clamping plate 321 is provided with Aan aperture 33, through which passes freelyr theV screwt'hreaded shank- 34 of va thumbV nut 35, which is'providedI with anshoulder36, adaptedto engagesaid 'clamping plate 321 and forceit into clamping contact'againstfthe vinner wall of-"the groove 31. TheV inking fabric 20 is madeof fthe 'same width asthe-'wi'dthof fthe pad 21; andfhas the Vends thereof broughttogeth'er andinserted'irr-the groove V31 to'be clamped by the plate 32 in said groove so as to stretch` the fabric- 20 tightly over the opposed'fa ces of the pad 21.

The thumb nut '35 extends beyond the. end wall of the box 1, which hasthe projecting portion thereef "provided" with`v an: arcuate notch'Y 37, adapted to `receive the-'cylindrical shank4 38" of 'the 4thumb nut'. 35; By 'means of ithevthurnbv nut'orscrew `35, the pad 21 Amay be `lifted from its supported'position on Tthe face plate 6I overthe inking 4flaps 184 and4 19, and may be removed from the boXal'or reversed,l for :inking purposes, onzthe-face plate Gand in contact with' the flaps 1'8fand 19.

Ifthefpad 21 were left constantly in contact withv theinking flaps 18A and 19',- it *wouldbecome too moist for `stamping purposes therefore, it is necessary to provide some means foriseparating it'fr'om'the inkingflaps after it becomes properly saturated -with ink, and forfsuch'length of'time as it retains its state of :proper saturation. To effect this-separationwof the Ypad 21 from the-inking flaps I18 and 19.the rear endof thebox 1 is lprovided with a hinged plate39which fits snugly into the'space formed'by theprojecting` `parts of the Wallsof thelboxvl above-thefacefplate 6;

A hinge 40 has one of its leaves fixed to the rear Walls of the boX 1, and has its other leaf 44 suitably iixed to the inner face of the plate 39.

The inner face of the .plate 39 has a pad of leather or any other suitable material fixed thereto; :andthe-central part of this pad 41 islcut outto form arectangular recess 42, slighily larger than the spread out area of the flaps 18 and 19. The pad 41 is also cut awayto "form agroove 43 in which is received theleaf 44 of the hinge above referred to.

The rear wall of the box 1 is provided with a .notch 45, through which the leaf 44 of the said hinge is adapted to swing for the purpose offple'rmittingzthe plate39,dwith its pad 41, to rest rupon theface plate 6,r and to cover the-flaps l8r-:and l9iwhilereniaining. out'of actual cont-act with said flaps.` Then in this positiomithe; properly. inked pad 21 'isfintended :to'be seated on the-'plain'baclrface of the ,plate-:139. The-plate 39-isprovided with a lug46Y projecting from the centerY of the front Ved'geof: said pl'atez; and`thisv lugl is adapted 'toseat in a notch I47 formed in the upperedgevof the frontwall of the box 1, whereit projects above'the face plate 6. This lugAG- is provided :merely to enable the operator' tow move the :plate 39: to and from the position? shownsin Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Anover 48-is alsohinged :to the rear wall of the box; ,Land is-adapted tobe swung to open position in advance of and under-'the separator plate39;`and,to be swung` to closed positionras -shownlrF 3, only afterrthe plate-'39 shall` havel been moved to its operartive position o11-the=face plate 6'.

Irt the? operation, of 'the'r invention', assuming-,that fthe-reservoir has beenl properlyV filled and the wick sup-porting part of theainven'.- tion has been securely locked by the `thumb screwv 29S in said reservoir, it is evident that if the-pad 21 :beaplaced directly'onf the inking flaps 18 and 19,- as shown vinA Fig. 4, it will absorb.f inkfrom thel said flaps drawn by capillary attraction from f thefblock- 15 in contactwithfztlie inl: in said reservoir.

The double faced pad 21' absorbs ink from the. wick .sufli'cient to ink. the padA withi lthe desire-d ydegree-of moisture in about'fiftyor sixtyseconds.-A When it is properly inked` it may be lifted from A.the ink-absorbing position bythetliunib screwv 35. Then the separator'p'late 39fis swung from `its bopen positionfto cover'th'einking flaps. 18 4and 19. The inked ppad 21 may-'then be placed on top of this cover lready for-:use The hinge cover 48 `rnayth'env be "swung over the1 top of this inking pad 21 to protect it from dust and to prevent'orrretard evaporation of'ink therefrom 'when .notin actual use.

lVhat I claim is:

1. An: inling appliance comprising a box, a supporting plz'xte'having a. slot through the center thereof and having flanges depending from the outer edges thereof to seat on the bottom of said box, means engaging one end of said box and one of said flanges to lock said plate in position in said box, a casing depending from said plate and surrounding said slot, means for securing said casing to said plate, a wick comprising a sheet of ink absorbing fabric mounted in said casing and having flaps lying on the face of said plate on the opposite side of said slot, a pad 'adapted to seat on said plate, and means hinged to said box for separating and supporting said pad from said plate.

2. A reservoir adapted to contain ink, a

plate supported in said reservoir below thetop thereof, means for feeding ink from said reservoir to the top of said plate, a reversible pad supported by said plate, and means carried by said reservoir and adapted to be lnoved into supported contact with said plate to prevent access of ink from said reservoir to said pad. f

3. A reservoir adapted to contain ink, a

late provided with a slot, means for supporting said plate in said reservoir, means for locking said plate in supported position in said reservoir, a casing depending from said plate and having its upper end fitting said Y slot, said casing terminating slightly above the bottom of said reservoir, a block of felt` secured in said casing and projecting there from into said reservoir, a wick comprising a sheet of fabric bent to form a loop having the bend thereof in contact with said block of felt and having the opposite ends thereof bent to forml flaps lying on top of said plate on opposite sides of said, slot, and means for securing said wick in said casing and in contact with said block of felt.

4. A reservoir adapted to contain ink, a pad supporting plate fitting snugly and slidably in said reservoir, means for locking said plate in fixed position in said reservoir, means for conducting ink from said reservoir to the top of said plate, a pad adapted to be supported on said plate, and means secured to said plateand movable relative thereto to support said pad on said plate but out of contact therewith.

5. An inking appliance comprising a box having a filling aperture through one end thereof, a thumb screw for closing said aper-V ture, a pad supporting plate mounted in said box bellow the top thereof and having a flange depending therefrom, said flange being provided with an aperture registrable with the first named aperture and adapted-to be engaged with said thumb screw to lock the plate in position in said box, means for feeding ink from said reservoir to the upper face of said plate, a reversible pad supported on said plate, and a separator plate hinged to the back of said box and adapted to contact with and be supported by said supporting plate. 

